It appeared that the Arizona Cardinals had found their next head coach. Following the NFC Championship Game, the Cardinals brought in Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur for a second interview.
The hope was that Arizona could close out a deal with its preferred choice at head coach. Per MMQB’s Albert Breer, LaFleur dined with the team’s brass in Phoenix Monday night and interviewed Tuesday. It seemed like all indications were that he’d become the next Cardinals head coach.
However, that did not happen. NFL insider Mike Garafolo reported on NFL Network that LaFleur left Arizona without a deal (H/T PHNX Sports).
“They had Mike LaFleur in for two days, and it started to feel like there was momentum toward that potentially getting done. He did leave without a deal, which is an indication that either they want to do a little bit more research or he maybe wants to think about this a little bit longer as well.”
That’s an update that sent shivers down the spine of every Cardinals fan. While they could still ultimately hire LaFleur, this reeks of dysfunction that fans are all too familiar with.
Cardinals Coaching Search Recap
The Cardinals started their head coaching search on January 5, when they fired Jonathan Gannon. With Arizona limping to a 3-14 finish, the team felt it was time to part ways.
The Cardinals have cast a wide net in their coaching search. In total, general manager Monti Ossenfort and team owner Michael Bidwill have interviewed 17 candidates for their opening.
The reporting over the weekend was that three candidates had emerged in the Cardinals’ coaching search. The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini named LaFleur, along with Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, as the finalists.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter came on the Pat McAfee show to talk about the head coaching vacancies. Schefter said, “I would think we will have all these coaching jobs filled this week, probably sooner rather than later. I wouldn’t be surprised if by Wednesday there are no openings left.”
Campanile ended up returning to the Jaguars, which seemed to indicate that the Cardinals were closing in on LaFleur. With LaFleur leaving Arizona without a deal, it adds questions about Ossenfort and Bidwill’s ability to lure in a quality head coach candidate.
Why the Cardinals Are Not an Attractive Destination
When looking at the Cardinals, the biggest issue they have is that Arizona has rarely had much sustained success, and Bidwill’s poor reputation across the league.
Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic tweeted that the Cardinals have only nine total playoff appearances since 1966.
It’s not an easy opening to fill. Taylor Lewan, a three-time Pro Bowl left tackle with the Tennessee Titans, described the Cardinals’ job as “not for the faint of heart”.
Appearing on the St. Brown Podcast, San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner used the hydra meme to describe the Cardinals.
“You ever see that meme with the dragons where it’s the 3 dragons and then you got the dragon over there with his tongue out and the googly eyes? Unfortunately, that’s the Cardinals right now.”
The Cardinals have a lot of issues that need to be resolved in 2026. The first is the quarterback position, starting with Kyler Murray’s future in Arizona. The next head coach will have a big say on who they replace Murray with.
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